We Moved

Praise and Worship:

Offering and Prayer:

Introduction: The Change of Address

We’ve all seen it. You drive to your favorite shop or a doctor's office you’ve gone to for years, only to find the windows boarded up and a sign on the door that says, "WE MOVED." The old building is still there, but the life, the authority, and the business are gone. They are operating from a new location with a new set of rules.

Spiritually, many of us are still trying to receive mail at our old address. We’ve spent years building our "Personal Kingdoms"—trying to manage our own stress, dictate our own morality, and be the masters of our own fate. We stay at the old address because it’s familiar. But the Gospel announcement isn't just an invitation to a new club; it’s an Eviction Notice to your old way of living. Today, we are declaring that as believers, we don’t live there anymore. We Moved.

Scripture:

Matthew 4:17 NLT

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

Colossians 1:13 NLT

13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

Title, Prayer:

The Kingdom Has Come

Application: The Governance of the Heart

The application for our lives is to live under God’s rule instead of your own control. Most of us approach the Christian life as if we still own the house and Jesus is just a guest. We ask for His advice, but we reserve the right to veto it.

We apply the Gospel by recognizing the Change of Government. When Jesus says the Kingdom is "at hand," He is announcing that the jurisdiction has changed. You are no longer governed by your feelings or your "right" to be in control. You are governed by the King. You can't keep operating by the "Old Address" rules when you’ve been relocated to the Kingdom.

Point One: The Relocation (From Me to Him)

In Colossians 1:13, the Word says He has "delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son." Notice the action: Transferred. That is a legal relocation.

The struggle we feel—the anxiety of the "Strategic Struggle"—is often the result of trying to live in two places at once. You want the protection of the King (the New Address), but you want to keep the habits of your old, selfish life (the Old Address). The Gospel produces a Transfer of Title. You have to stop checking the mail at your old life of bitterness, worry, and self-reliance.

Life Application: Identify the "Jurisdiction Conflict."

The Residency Check: Where are you still "living" in your old ways? If you are still the one making the final call on your finances, your time, or your temper, you haven't really moved.

The Forwarding Address: This week, when the devil tries to bring up your past or tempt you with your old patterns, tell him: "I don't live there anymore. Check the new address."

1. The "Old Address" Audit:

When a business moves, they often find junk in the basement they didn't know they were still keeping. In your own life, what "junk" from your old way of living (before you fully submitted to the King) are you still trying to bring into your new life? (Examples: A habit of worrying about money, a "right" to hold a grudge, or the need to always be right.)

Point Two: The Policy of Repentance (The Royal Pivot)

Jesus started His ministry in Matthew 4:17 with: "Repent." In our church, we know this is metanoia—the Royal Pivot. Repentance is the actual "moving truck." it’s the act of packing up your will and moving it under His authority.

The "Better Life" isn't about fixing your old house; it’s about moving into His Kingdom. When you move, you adopt the policies of the new neighborhood. You don't have to carry the weight of "ruling" your life because the King is now the one responsible for your provision and protection. Repentance is the act of firing yourself as the CEO of "Me, Inc." and becoming a citizen of the King.

Life Application: Live under God’s rule instead of your own control.

The New Policy: When a situation arises this week—a conflict at home or a pressure at work—don't use the "Old Address" reactions (anger, manipulation, or fear).

Consult the King: Stop and ask, "King Jesus, I moved into your Kingdom. What is the policy for this situation?" What's the phrase? “What Would Jesus Do?”.

3. The Policy Clash:

We talked about "Kingdom Policy" versus "Self-Policy." Think about a recurring conflict in your home or workplace.

What is your "Self-Policy" for that conflict? (e.g., I shut down; I yell; I manipulate)

What is the "Kingdom Policy" for that conflict? (e.g., I speak the truth in love; I serve; I forgive)

Which one are you going to use tomorrow morning?

Conclusion: Check the Sign

The Gospel is the announcement that your old life is closed for business.

Jesus didn't come to Pataskala to help you renovate your self-centered kingdom. He came to move you into His. You don't have to protect yourself anymore. You don't have to carry the stress of being the "boss" of your world. The sign is on the door: WE MOVED.

Will you stop trying to break back into your old house and finally settle into the authority of the King? The Kingdom is at hand. It’s time to move.

Invitation: 2. The Forwarding Address

The devil will try to deliver "bills" and "reminders" to your old address (your past mistakes or old identity). What is a specific "bill" the enemy keeps trying to collect on in your life, and how can you use the phrase "I don't live there anymore" to combat it this week?